Eternal Starling / Angela Corbett

February 2nd, 2012

Book Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Pendrell
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 6, 2011

Author Web Page:Photobucket

Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang. All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men.   For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn’t understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug of war.

Soulmates, a beautiful concept that maybe is not so easy to define; Eternal Starling captures this beautiful concept exploring the meaning of choices and destiny.  Eternal Starling narrates the story of Evie, a girl who lives a normal life until two handsome guys walk into her life and she learns the truth of herself and two secret societies; The Amaranthine and The Daevos Resistance. WOW!!! This book was a page turner for me and the girl (AKA ME) who’s not fond of love triangles was just converted. Corbett stands out as a writer creating a strong female character and stating how choice VS destiny plays a part in the character’s journey.  As a reader I’m very into love stories and what I loved about this one is that I could see and feel Evie’s confusion between her choice (Emil) and her destiny (Alex).  Those two guys stood out as characters for very different reasons, but it’s clear their love for Evie is real. Also the societies’ mythologies that take part of the story is brilliant and it’s beautiful to have a story that’s based on love.  It’s wonderful how Corbett takes the reader on a journey where she shows you the beautiful thing about pre-destined love, but also she shows you the allure of choosing who you want to love. At the end Eternal Starling left me with that; the beauty of this truth.  Love can be predestined and it’s beautiful, eternal and profound but the choice of love could be equally the same. Eternal Starling, the story of a girl who will defeat a powerful society to have the chance to be HERSELF and her journey to find peace between her heart and soul.

 

Team Alex!!! Sorry I need to say it.  I will give an E-Book of Eternal Starling and Swag Material for one winner that will be choose between the people who comment in the review.

Michelle

Indelible / By: Lani Woodland

January 6th, 2012

Book Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Pendrell
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication Date: September 27, 2011

Author Web Page:Photobucket

Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn t want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist s attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn’t going to go quietly.

A few words to describe Indelible would be GREAT character developing and beautiful plotline.  Indelible narrates the story of Yara coming in terms with her supernatural gift, her growing relationship with Brent and ancient curse that haunted Pendrell Academy. There’s a formula for sequels in YA literature but apparently Mrs. Woodland forgot that and this is the biggest compliment I can give to her.  She took a risk and created her own sequel with fascinating turns in the story that it’s just superb. Yara is a character that you could easy love because she is a character that with every chapter and situations she grows and she knows how to make decisions even though that maybe the right one could hurt her or the one she loves.  Something cool in the story is that you have a main character with a family that is different and how she deals with her family’s background.  Also you have a brilliant plot about a school secret society and this X mystery that will leave you turning page through page.  I think my favorite aspect of this story and it’s another example of how Woodland shines and makes her own story, is that Yara and Brent; they grew up together closer in this sequel, not apart.  Their interactions are sweet and the way they protect each other is just beautiful.  It’s just great to see what could be defined as a real couple in YA, one that learns from past lessons grew closer and made good decisions.  Good JOB Mrs. Woodland.  Indelible a sequel of a GREAT series that should not be missed.

 

I will give a copy of Intrinsical with a book mark for one winner that will be chosen between the people who comment in the review.
Michelle

Insight / Eternal Starling

November 18th, 2011

Book Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Pendrell
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 6, 2011

Book Trailer:Photobucket

Page: 44

“Why him? he asked Why now?

… I can’t help what I feel …

I’m in love with him. “

Michelle

October / Eye Candy

October 1st, 2011

A group of three books cover images that I like the most from the titles to be released in the current month. Usually I already pre-ordered the titles or own them. I named the section like I did because I like thinking about these covers like they are something that its meant to look.

*Eye Candy: visual images that are pleasant to see.

Michelle

Intrinsical / By: Lani Woodland

September 21st, 2010

Book Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Pendrell
Age Range: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 8, 2010

Author Web Page:Photobucket

Sixteen-year old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn’t want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist’s attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn’t going to go quietly.

Gather: a peculiar girl, a boarding school, a hot guy with a peculiar talent, a “curse” and you’ll have Intrinsical / By: Lani Woodland. Intrinsical begins after Yara moves to her new school; Penderell along her best friend Cherie, who by some way or another, has always tried to contact the “supernatural” world. Ironically, Cherie lacks this gift while Yara is natural to it. After knowing details of Penderell’s “curse” with Brent, Yara will get to know more of her capabilities and what factor they will play to break the “curse” that has affected Penderell academy for decades. A word to summarize Intrinsical is; unpredictable, and I love that. Woodland teases the reader taking the story from one point to another gracefully, and what makes it more interesting are the clues left along the way. At lasts a story about humans but with a touch of fantasy for what readers are craving no matter what. I have liked the result from when all the pieces from the puzzle are over the table. The “curse’s” story itself possesses feeling and even for a second, the reader will feel some compassion for him or those involved. The role that Yara and Brent play or both of their families are a good touch that makes the story outstanding. My only point is that I would have liked to see more of Penderell Academy as a Boarding School with more strict laws, since it looked like the characters could come and go how they pleased. At the end, this doesn’t take anything from the story, but it would have been something nice to see. The end leaves a possibility for a sequel and if there’s one: where do I sign? Intrinsical, a great presentation letter for a debut author where a girl will not only fight to break a “curse”, save her life and her love interest’s, but overall, to settle terms with who she really is.

Michelle

August Eye Candy

August 1st, 2010

A group of three books cover images that I like the most from the titles to be released in the current month. Usually I already pre-ordered the titles or own them. I named the section like I did because I like thinking about these covers like they are something that its meant to look.

*Eye Candy: visual images that are pleasant to see.

Michelle